JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo

The terms “evangelical” and “Christian” have been co-opted by conservatives to push their political agenda. For this group, Christianity is less a means for spiritual enrichment and more a means to steer an ideology, as evidenced by the  Seven Mountain Mandate, which urges Christians to take control of seven components of society. Instead of promoting social justice, respecting the dignity of...

Why is it we see a wave of people demanding that certain books to be banned? Are these folks voicing their own personal objections based on their own reading, or are they voicing a philosophical bent based on what they’re heard about books? And how is that parents who object to a certain book for their children want the book to be banned for all children? Since when do parents get to decide what’s...

When your options are limited, selling drugs is the answer. Our guest, Buddy, grew up in a low income, high crime Cincinnati neighborhood, with four siblings and a single mom who earned a modest wage. Selling drugs was the answer to getting what he needed—clothes, cash, security. Buddy started out by counting cash for established dealers and by 16 was running his own enterprise. And then at age 21...

Why is it that elected officials can’t draw fair legislative election maps? Despite state constitutional amendments for redistricting reform approved by Ohio voters in 2015 and 2018, Ohio remains heavily gerrymandered because politicians disregarded the mandate they were given. Former Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court Maureen O’Connor struck down as unconstitutional multiple proposed ma...

In theory, juvenile detention centers are places where kids who have committed felonies are helped with their criminal tendencies and behavioral needs, but we’re hearing more about violence than anything else. These are high need kids. Many have suffered trauma—family members murdered, abuse, neglect. Plus, they’re kids; their brains aren’t fully developed. Adding to the problem, Ohio’s Department...

What makes journalists risk their lives in war zones or imprisonment by autocratic governments? Award-winning psychiatrist Anthony Feinstein offers his expert perspective on the moral courage investigative journalists exhibit and the post-traumatic stress they suffer. Listen to what Dr. Feinstein, author of Moral Courage: 19 Profiles of Investigative Journalists , has learned from treating journal...

You might think being a good dad is something that comes naturally, but you would be wrong. Fatherhood has to be learned, and too many men from low-income neighborhoods, where crime rates are high and stable marriages are few, never learn how to be dads. Many kids grow up without the stability of a caring family and good role models; all some kids learn is survival. David Fluellen tells us what hi...

The big issues on the ballot in Ohio this November 7 are Issues 1 and 2. Both will likely make the national news. Jack and Gonzo discuss the proposed constitutional amendment protecting a woman’s right to have an abortion, and the citizen initiative proposing a statue to legalize recreational marijuana. Why are these issues on the ballot, and what are the pros and cons being advanced by special in...

Rachel Muha did what few of us could ever do: she forgave the two men who murdered her son, Brian, in 1999. After she was alerted by the police that Brian was missing, Rachel started to pray and decided that she had to muster up the strength to forgive the men who had abducted Brian. It wasn’t until days later that Brian’s body was recovered, and even after learning that Brian had been murdered, R...

Is columnist David Rothfopf right—Trump losing in court won't be enough to save democracy? There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the future of democracy—gerrymandering, election finance, voter suppression, and politicians who will change the rules to achieve their goals. The recent campaign to amend Ohio’s constitution, Issue 1, is an example of politicians doing just that. Maybe people d...

What’s the purpose of our criminal justice system? Retribution or restoration? When we examine the system, we see racial disparities in sentencing and little effort to understand what caused an offender to engage in criminal activity. Being “tough on crime” is a popular slogan with politicians. Sentencing is conducted with little concern for the backstory of the offender. The system fails miserabl...

We continue our conversation with activist Jon Melrod about his efforts in opposing racism, organizing rallies against the Vietnam War and activism in favor of unions.

How often does a veteran white revolutionary author a book in which he describes a lifetime committed to waging war on white supremacy and misogyny? These two political struggles have  been the focus of Jon Melrod’s organizing efforts since the 1960s. In his recently released book,  Fighting Times: Organizing on the Front Lines of the Class War,  Jon traces in a lively and humorous...

We continue our conversation with Paul Sparks about the keys for success in transitioning from prison life to life outside the walls. Even then, there are risks—getting into relationships too soon, drug and alcohol abuse, and financial issues—that can lead to a return to prison. Paul explains why Embark minimizes the chances of that happening.  

Transitioning from prison life to life outside the walls takes work. Columbus-based Kindway provides a path—the Embark program—for motivated men and women inmates to start the transition process well before they are released from prison. Paul Sparks, the men’s transition manager for Kindway, knows a thing or two about transitioning. He was incarcerated four times years and spent 13 years inside th...

In a special election set for this August, Republicans in the Ohio statehouse and three special interest groups are advocating a change to the state constitution that can only be considered anti-democratic: future amendments will require a 60 percent vote. This amendment is all about suppressing the power of citizens who are pro-choice, against gerrymandering and in favor of gun control.   Ne...

Is the recent wave of legislation concerning trans children focused on preventing harms or a way for politicians to prove their conservative bona fides? Take a look at these bills, and you’ll see it’s the latter. What’s stunning is that these bills—Ohio House Bill 8, House Bill 68 and House Bill 183—concern a small percentage of the population. Even more stunning is that these bills are supposedly...

Is the Ohio constitutional mandate that government provide for “a thorough and efficient system of common schools” at risk because of the EdChoice voucher system? When it was started, EdChoice, which is funded by state revenue, was available only to students who attended lower performing public schools. Now the program is tied to income. Any family earning up to 250% of the federal poverty level (...

The creation of charter schools, also known as community schools, in Ohio is an experiment that has cost Ohioans billions and has provided little educational improvement for its students. Charter schools began as an experiment to provide more varied learning opportunities, but the experiment has not fared well due to the schools' flawed administrative structure. Our guest, Mark Weiker, explains wh...

People lie out of self-preservation—think Pete Rose lying about not betting on baseball—or to promote a political goal—President George W. Bush’s administration stating Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, when he didn’t. Besides lying, people often talk about things as if they know with certainty what they’re talking about, when, in reality, they’re just guessing. Why do people, mostly...

Ohio state Senator Jerry Cirino says he sponsored Senate Bill 83 because he wants students to be taught how to think, not what to think. The bill speaks about advancing free and open discussion, but when you read the bill, you see that Cirino and other state legislators want to control what can be taught. It’s frightening and likely inconsistent with our state’s constitution. Listen to the convers...

When teachers believe a student suffers from abuse or neglect, they have to submit a report to a public children services agency or the police, but what obligation do teachers have when children talk to them in confidence about gender dysphoria? Are teachers allowed to keep this kind of information confidential? Attorney Josh Brown believes teachers should be required to tell parents about gender...

Mike Gonidakis and Ohio Right to Life see abortion as a black and white issue. Every fetus  deserves to be born. Period. But many Ohioans see it differently. There’s the matter of a woman’s right to autonomy over her body. There are economic and family problems that push women to abort. And low income women especially are affected by an abortion ban. It all comes down to an individual’s moral...

Christian nationalism speaks to a declaration of war against the enemies of God, but it is far removed from both Christianity and patriotism, and it’s sweeping the nation. We talk with Rev. Tim Ahrens about a divisive ideology that advocates a single acceptable point of view and hatred of anyone who is different and speaks of Jesus but fails to follow his example. Listen to our conversation about...

After a career in health care and raising a family in Georgia, Connie Cheren decided to take up the challenge of providing health care services in Kenya, but she had no clue how to get started. So, she just said yes to the idea and then figured things out. Now, thousands of Kenyans benefit from safe water programs, mobility carts, computer schools and medical clinics. What’s at the heart of Connie...